Bacon Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes

Bacon Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes

The Spruce / Eric Kleinberg

Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Total: 40 mins
Servings: 8 servings

Bacon-stuffed cherry tomatoes make a very popular appetizer. In fact, double the recipe and you still won't have any left over. This recipe is fussy to make, but it's easy. Just settle in and resign yourself to stuffing tiny tomatoes with a wonderfully flavorful creamy mixture. As a bonus, eat a spoonful or two of the filing as you work!

Try the new pre-cooked bacon on the market. Just warm it in your microwave to crispy and it's ready to use: no mess, no fuss, and no clean-up. Just make sure that you use real Parmesan cheese, real mayonnaise, and real bacon. We don't recommend making this recipe with nonfat mayo, Parmesan from that green box, and bacon bits.

You can cut a very thin slice off the bottom of each little tomato so it will stand upright, but we think that is unnecessary and just adds work. Use our tip below for lining the serving tray with parsley to keep the little tomatoes upright and looking pretty.

For a vegetarian version of this recipe, try substituting cashews or diced avocado for the bacon. 

These appetizers are perfect at the start of a summer meal when you're grilling outside. Because you have to make them ahead of time, they are perfect for entertaining. They are also great as part of a buffet if you want to throw an appetizer party.

Ingredients

  • 2 pints cherry tomatoes
  • 3/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (NOT packaged)
  • 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh minced basil leaves
  • 1 (16-ounce) package thin-sliced bacon, crisply cooked, drained, and crumbled

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Bacon Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes ingredients

    The Spruce / Eric Kleinberg

  2. Cut the top off each cherry tomato, as well as a very small portion of the bottom of each tomato so that they stand upright.

    sliced tomatoes on a cutting board

    The Spruce / Eric Kleinberg

  3. Using a melon baller or a sharp knife, carefully scoop out the seeds and pulp. Place each little tomato upside down on a paper towel to drain.

    cherry tomatoes on paper towels

    The Spruce / Eric Kleinberg

  4. Combine the mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, basil leaves, and bacon in a small bowl and mix well.

    Combine the mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, basil leaves, and bacon in a small bowl

    The Spruce / Eric Kleinberg

  5. Stuff each cherry tomato with the bacon mixture using a very small spoon.

    Stuff each cherry tomato with the bacon mixture

    The Spruce / Eric Kleinberg

  6. Cover all of the stuffed tomatoes and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours to blend flavors before serving.

    Bacon Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes on a baking sheet, covered in plastic wrap

    The Spruce / Eric Kleinberg

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
466 Calories
40g Fat
3g Carbs
23g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 466
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 40g 51%
Saturated Fat 11g 54%
Cholesterol 75mg 25%
Sodium 1177mg 51%
Total Carbohydrate 3g 1%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Protein 23g
Calcium 84mg 6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)